Storage-battery electrode



April 8, 1930.

s. D. LEVI NGS. STORAGE BATTERY ELECTRODE Filed May 11 1926 %INVEN 01;.

.BY I

h ATTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 8, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHERBURNE D. LEVINGS, OF W'ININETKA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF -ONE-THIRD TO RUFUS N. CHAMBERLAIN AND ONE'THIRD TO GEORGE R. BERGER, BOTH OF CHI- CAGO, ILLINOIS STORAGE-BATTERY ELECTRODE Application filed May 11,

My invention relates to electrolyte level electrodes, and particularly to an intermediate electrode for use in conjunction with electrolyte level indicating devices.

Heretofore intermediate electrodes for in-* dicating devices have been built up of separate parts, but such electrodes have the objections of high cost of manufacture and liability of failure of some of the component parts, due both to mechanical as well as chemical damage. These objections have been a decided hindrance to the extensive applicaind1cat1ng tion and commercial use of such devices.

I have overcome the above difliculties by providing an electrode of simple design and construction; reducing the cost of manufacture and eliminating the liability of failure in operation. These advanta es are secured because my device is of a umtary construction 7 which may be cast in its final form, and of such metal as to be non-corrosive in the ba ttery and of a conductivity suitable for its use in connection with electrolyte level indicators.

My invention will be better understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is aperspective view of my electrode in its preferredjorm;

Fig. 2 is a partial section showing the interior construction ofthe electrode and Fig. 3 is a diagram ofcircults showing one use to which my electrodemay be put.

Referring to Fig. 1, the electrode consists of a unitar piece of metal having a middle or interme iate part 1 provided with an in tegral upper part 2, a screw-threaded part 3 and a lower depending, part 4. The screwthreaded part3 is adapted to screw into the ordinary opening in the top of store e batteries through which the water is ad ed for re lenishing the electrolyte. This, however. is lint one form of my devi ce. as a bayonet lock or any other shape may be cast in the electrode for holding it in place, or it may be cast into the cover of the cell. The part 4-extends downwardly from" the intermediate part 1 into the electrolyte space of the battery. The length of the part 4 isfso adjust/ed 1926; Serial No. 108,218.

Agthe battery requires flushing in the usual Wfl The intermediate part 1 is provided at its lower extremity with a concavity 5 extending around the depending portion 4. Vent ducts 6 lead from the concavity 5 to the top of the intermediate part 6. Because of the concave character of the lower portion of the intermediate part 1, the electrolyte is not forced out through the vent ducts with the gases. This construction insures the substantial absence of electrolyte on top of the electrode.

A suitable conductor 7 as, for instance, a copper cable, is placed in position and the material of which the parts 1, 2 and 4 are composed is cast around the cable which has some of its strands, as at 8, extendin below a sheath 9 of insulating. material. he part 2 of the electrode securely fastens the conductor 7 in place, as shown in Fig. 2, thus forming not only an intimate'union between the conductor and the electrode, but likewise securely fastening the sheath 9 in place and constituting it for all practical purposes an'integral portion of the electrode. The sheath 9 is of stiff material, suchas vulcanized rubber and consequently protects the conductor 7 against mechanical injury as well as corrosion from the gases always resent in storage batteries.

In Fig. 3, have shown a circuit diagram illustrating one ap lication for the electrode of my invention. 11 this figure the battery 10 is rovided with the usual end' electrodes 11 an 12, the electrode 12 being connected to ground. The electrode 11 connects through a switch 13 with the starting motor 14, or other normally operated switch or mechanism of an automobile, one side of which is grounded at 15. It is desirable for the operator to know when the electrolyte of the battery falls below a given point. In Fig. 3 the normallevel of the electrolyte is shown by thedotted line 16. The electrode embodying my invention is inserted at'A and the corresponding parts are marked as in Fi s. 1 and 2. A lamp or other indicating devlce 17 is connected in circuit with the intermediate electrode so that contact with the part 4 of the electrode. If the electrolyte should fall below the part 4, the light 17 would not be illuminated upon the closing of the switch 13, whereupon the 0 ers ator would known that the battery required flushing.

The particular system in which my electrode has special merit is that shown and described in the patent to Rufus N. Chamberm lain, No. 1,558,076, dated October 20, 1925. For convenience in connecting the lamp in circuit a connector is shown at 18.

From the foregoing it will be evident that my electrode has many advantages over any 15 electrode heretofore constructed.

I claim;

I An electrode for storage batteries, comprising a portion having means for securing the electrode to the cover of a battery, a depend- 2 ing member integral with said portion and adapted to extend downwardly therefrom into the battery electrolyte, an insulated conductor cast into said portion, and a connector on said conductor, whereb said conductor ma be readily disconnecte from the circuit an said electrode may be removed from the cover.

SHERBURNE D. LEVINGS. 

